The Christmas vegetable everyone loves to leave on the side of the plate has
had a "sweetness" makeover in a bid to encourage children to eat them when
they sit down on December 25

Children no longer have an excuse to leave the Brussels Sprouts at Christmas as Waitrose has become the first to develop a "kid friendly" version of the notorious festive vegetable.

The supermarket chain is sending the new, sweeter variety of the sprout into stores for a limited two week period today after working with growers to develop the product.

Amy Lance, Waitrose fresh food technologist, said it was one of 15 types of sprouts the chain will sell this Christmas, including a "red" variety.

The chain has been testing two kid-friendly versions with growers over the past year, and believe it's come up with a sprout that is notably different, because the absence of the traditionally bitter aftertaste.

Ms Lance said: "Sprouts typically have a really bitter flavour, and these ones have less of that. In the tests we have done people definitely notice the sweetness coming through.

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"We're not saying where we got them from as we're worried that our rivals would simply copy us. We have bought up the entire UK supply of this new variety - two weeks supply.

She added: "We want to keep up interest in the range, we want our customers to be surprised by the food we sell so it doesn't get boring. And hopefully we can encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables."

Brussel sprouts date back to the 16th century, where they were said to be widely cultivated in Belgium. They only typically tend to smell when they are overcooked.

Previous polls have suggested nearly a third of the sprouts bought in the run-up to Christmas Day are actually eaten.

Charlie Heath, a four year-old who tested the new Waitrose variety, said: "I like these sprouts. I don't like the yucky ones my Mummy cooks."